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Triathlon

Carusone rules Crystal River

The swimmer at Florida took the Memorial Day race for her sixth Sprint Triathlon series title.

By LARRY BUGG
Published May 31, 2005

CRYSTAL RIVER - Ashley Carusone has taken over as queen of the Crystal River Sprint Triathlons.

The 20-year All American swimmer at Florida is only lacking a tiara and sash.

Sunday, Carusone remained the top female in the triathlon at Fort Island Gulf Beach, winning in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 35 seconds. The Gainesville resident has won six times in the Crystal River Sprint Triathlon series, which consists of three races a year.

"That is, I think, my best," said Carusone, who began competing in her mid-teens. "Last year, I was 1:09. I have done a little more training this year. I have been doing a lot of biking and running. I went to the Olympic Trials last year and didn't do much besides swimming. I really like this course. It is a lot of fun. I used to do at least 20 triathlons a summer when I was younger."

She said she will miss the Fourth of July triathlon and thus cannot be the female series winner.

Tom Lowery, also a Gainesville resident, won the men's race in 1:02:45.

"This was my first time to win," he said. "I took the lead at Mile 2 on the bike. I am a little stronger on the bike than the run. I started in 1986. It's a great race. It's low pressure. I got lucky today."

Lowery was less than a minute ahead of Philip LaHaye of Palm Harbor, who ran 1:03:34.

"He (Lowery) pulled away about half way into the run," LaHaye said. "It's like an old school race. We enjoyed the race."

Todd Fitzgerald was third in 1:04.03.

"It was great conditions," said Fitzgerald, who just graduated from Dunnellon High. "You couldn't ask for a better race. I came second out of the water. We were trying to hang on to Tom (Lowery). I was real happy today."

Carusone was fifth overall. The men's masters winner, Jack Haire of Gainesville, Ga., was sixth with the same time as Carusone.

The first of the three-race series began with a record 190 starters. There was a cloud cover and the racers didn't get overheated.

"It was a record for this event," race director Chris Moling said. "We couldn't be happier. Obviously, word is getting out that it's a good race. We had near perfect record. We had a cloud cover. We had some of our best times in the swim."

Morgan Keppel, 13, of Land O' Lakes, ran a 3K Saturday and finished 81st in 1:28:26. It was her second triathlon.

"I'm tired," she said. "I enjoyed it. I like it flat."

The triathlon served as a family reunion for five members of the Sindler family. Derek, a student at Florida State, was 104th in 1:32:45. Two brothers, two sisters and their father came from around the state for the race.

"My Dad, Rob, ran," said David Sindler, a minister from Tallahassee. "It was really good to see everybody together. It was a real good course. We will be coming back again. We really like the beach."

[Last modified May 31, 2005, 00:44:11]